


This Wasn't in the Brochure

by jadewolf



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Adventures in Poor Planning, Friends Don't Let Friends Vacation in Lalotai, Gen, Moana Holiday Exchange, MoanaHolidayExchange2017, Vacations gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 13:04:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13054578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadewolf/pseuds/jadewolf
Summary: Moana and Maui take a vacation in Lalotai, but the Realm of Monsters isn't exactly a relaxing destination and nothing goes quite as planned.





	This Wasn't in the Brochure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Thornvale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thornvale/gifts).



> A gift-fic for Thornvale as part of the Moana Holiday Exchange 2017.

“Are you sure you want to go _there_ for a vacation?”

“Of course!” Maui replied, chipper and upbeat as he adjusted their course.

“You know, _most_ people spend their vacation on a tropical island somewhere,” Moana pointed out.

“Yeah, but you _live_ on a tropical island.”

Moana let out an exasperated sound.“That’s beside the point!”

“It’ll be fun!”

“But Maui, _Lalotai?!_ You really want to go to the _Realm of Monsters_ for fun?!”

“C’mon Curly,” he wheedled, "it’ll be an adventure!Way more exciting than just visiting some other boring old island.”

Moana gave up, throwing her hands in the air.“Okay, you winBut next time, _I_ get to pick.”She peered into the fog surrounding their canoe.“So, how far is it from here?”

Maui grinned cheekily.“Well, that’s the thing,” he began, then tugged on a line, causing the canoe to swing smartly around.“We’re already here!”

Sure enough, the fog parted to reveal the hazy, but familiar outline of the Impossible Cliff.Moana shot Maui a sharp look.“Imagine that,” she said.“And here I thought you were just being nice when you offered to take over so I could take a nap.”

Maui laughed.“Well, you _did_ look very tired.And now you’re all well-rested and ready for an adventure!”

Moana rolled her eyes, but gave him a lopsided smile nevertheless.

***

Taking a little vacation in Lalotai had been an absolutely brilliant idea as far as Maui was concerned.Sure, Moana had shown a bit of reluctance about his choice of destinations, but he was certain that she’d change her mind soon enough.And sure, maybe her first visit here hadn’t exactly gone well, but Lalotai was a wildly exciting place and was sure to impress her this time around.Besides, there was no better place for a demigod to show off than monstrous realm on the underside of the sea.

In fact, as they wandered through a glowing forest of garishly colored tentacle palm trees, Moana _had_ started to come around a bit.Fascinated by the weird wildlife, she asked him question after curious question.

Well if she wanted to hear more, Maui was more than happy to oblige!Cheerfully, he launched into a series of stories about his heroic exploits.He had so many to tell, too!He could go on all day, really.One after another, he reeled off tales of his favorite adventures as they explored the bizarre realm.

“And then this one time, we were down here and there was this huge lizard monster and—”

“We?” Moana echoed, breaking into his latest story as they stepped out of the palm grove and into a vast open area, set against the base of a towering reef wall.

Maui faltered, caught wrong-footed.She was peering at him curiously, head tilted just slightly to the side.

“Uhh,” he stumbled, trying to quickly find a way to amend the slip in his story.

Fortunately, or perhaps not-so-fortunately, his fumbling attempt to backtrack was interrupted.The stillness of the clearing was shattered by an inhuman howl, bouncing with a quavering note off the colorful coral wall and echoing throughout the darkened hollows within it.The initial howl was swiftly followed by numerous answering calls, a chilling cacophony of beastly wailing that ended in a series of shrill, cackling yips.

Uh oh.

Maui glanced at Moana.Her eyes had gone round and wide, brows leaping up in alarm.A small mortal girl, dwarfed by the massive, brightly colored landscape of the Realm of Monsters.She was one of the bravest and most resilient mortals he’d ever known, but now she suddenly seemed very fragile against the brutal backdrop of Lalotai.“Maui?What was—”

There was no time to answer.There wasn’t even time for her to finish asking.The answer made itself known of its own accord.

A dark, dog-like creature stepped out of the trees of the palm grove, standing twice Maui’s size and covered in sooty grey fur, tipped in silver.The fur of its face was darker, edging towards black and painted with neon markings that glowed as it passed from shadow to shadow in the trees.Glittering eyes like precious stones fell upon Maui and the creature smiled, baring gleaming fangs in its heavy jaw.

“Maui,” it said in a gravelly undertone.“It’s been too long.”

Maui glared at the creature, recognition sinking in.“Not long enough.”At least it was just one of them, he could handle the mutt easily enough, show off a little for Moana, and get on with the story.

“Oh, but we’ve been waiting for your return.”

Uh oh, again.“We?”

Slipping out of the trees, more dog monsters appeared, all cackling and yipping eagerly as they began circling.Maui’s eyes darted around, taking a quick count.Nine of them, all together.Okay, well that wasn’t good.That was a lot of dog monsters.

“Back off, dog breath,” Maui said and hefted his hook, lifting it to point warningly at the dog.“Don’t forget what happened last time.”

The leader barked a laugh and stepped closer, lips curling back from its teeth in a menacing sneer.“Oh, but you’re _all alone_ this time.”

“He’s not alone!” piped a voice.Moana stood beside him, feet planted boldly and a fierce light in her eyes.She had no weapon and was ridiculously outclassed by the slavering hoard of dogs surrounding them, but she was clearly ready and willing to fight by his side no matter the odds.She really was the bravest mortal he’d ever known.

She leaned in close to him and whispered, “Who are these guys?”

Maui scoffed under his breath.“They call themselves the Tiamana Kuri,” he told her, rolling his eyes.“Guess they think that makes them sound scary, but they’re just a bunch of flea-bitten mutts and poachers.”

The lead dog cocked his head, ignoring the insult and looking at Moana as if only just noticing the mortal’s presence.Then his tongue lolled out and he began to laugh in derisive, whooping cackles.When the laughter tapered off, the dog smiled once again in a vicious leer.

“Oh Maui, you brought us a treat?How thoughtful.”The dog ran his tongue across his dripping fangs, eyeing Moana like a particularly tasty snack.Around them, the other dogs were closing in, circling closer in an ever-tightening spiral.

Maui grit his teeth, anger pricked up, and stepped protectively in front of Moana.Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Moana giving him an annoyed look.Well, she may not need his protection most of the time, but _this_ time he was pretty sure she did.He brandished his hook, shaking it at the lead dog.“I’m warning you, fuzzball…”

“Hear that, boys?He’s warning us.”

A raucous, mocking cackle was taken up around them, echoing eerily off the rocks and coral.

“Last chance to get lost before I have to knock you from here to Te Fiti,” Maui told the dog, speaking with a bravado he didn’t necessarily feel.Even out of practice as he was after a millennia stuck on that island, he was sure he could probably still handle them—or at least make a decent escape—on his own.But with Moana here, he was in a bit of a different position.Mortals were terribly fragile and even as strong as she was, she stood no chance against these creatures.He knew what they were capable of.After all, this wasn’t the first time he’d encountered this pack of degenerates.

“You and what army?” the lead dog shot back.“You’ve got no backup this time.”He smiled nastily, taunting and cruel.“No allies down here.Not anymore.We all know how that ended up.”

Maui flinched ever-so-slightly, but snorted.“I don’t need any help to kick your tail.”

“And yet,” the dog drawled, before taking a long, exaggerated sniff of the air, “I smell fear.”He smiled again, nothing but pointy teeth and glittering eyes.

Maui glanced back at Moana.There was no trace of fear in her eyes, only a resolve to meet this new challenge with him.No, the fear was his own.He’d put his friend in grave danger now—Moana, who despite all her spirit and strength was still mortal.Bringing her to Lalotai had seemed like such an exciting way to show off for her, but now it seemed so very, very foolish.

Distracted as he was by these thoughts, he was caught off guard by a warbling howl.He looked up just in time, barely lifting his hook before the dogs swarmed all at once.Maui leapt in front of Moana, shielding her from the initial rush of teeth and claws.“Stay behind me!” he shouted urgently.

Thankfully, she complied without argument and ducked behind him, sticking close to his back.Maui swung his hook in a wide arc, slamming it straight into the jaw of the first dog to reach them.The force of the hit sent the dog tumbling into the dirt, yelping in pain.

The next few moments seemed to stretch on for an eternity, filled with snarling and howling and flashes of fangs and fur.Moana kept close and was nimbly keeping out of reach of the attacking dogs so far, but without anything that made even a passable weapon she was at a distinct disadvantage.He heard her let out an exasperated, frustrated sound.

“Maui!” she shouted above the canine din.“We need to—”

Whatever else she was going to say, Maui didn’t hear.Fire streaked through him as razor-sharp teeth sank deep into his right shoulder.Maui let out a bellow of pain, then reached up to grab at the muzzle of the dog biting him.One-handed, he wrestled with the creature until he was able to pry its jaws loose Despite the pain in his arm, Maui swung his hook and smacked the dog hard—sending it flying away from them.

There was a concerned gasp from beside him.“Are you okay?”Moana was staring at him in alarm, concern etched upon her face.

He brushed it off.“I’m fine.I’m a demigod, I—”

Another dog rushed in and cut him off.Maui swapped his hook to his left hand and struck at it, knocking it back again.

Okay, they were in serious trouble here.Overrun and beset on all sides, it was only a matter of time before he missed one attack, and it would only take one missed charge for Moana to—no, he didn’t want to think about that.He didn’t want to consider—

Another dog lunged in, snapping ferociously.Maui rushed forward to meet the attack, but the dog broke off at the last second and veered right—its fast charge just a feint.Then he heard another snarl behind him, followed by a scream.“ _Maui!!_ ”

No!“Moana!”

Maui spun, racing back with hook raised.He was too far away, though—a split second too slow.He watched in horror as a monstrous dog leapt through the air, jaws open and zeroed in on the retreating figure of Moana.Maui raised his hook, preparing to shape shift and make a desperate attempt to save her despite his injured shoulder, which he knew would make flying a hazardous prospect at best.Nevertheless, he closed his eyes, fixing the shape of a hawk in his mind and—

There was a shrill shriek, cut short with a crunch.

Maui’s heart sank and he slid to a stop, halting the transformation before it even started.He winced and opened his eyes, fully expecting to see her mangled body gripped in the dog’s jaws.

The dog was gone.Moana was alive and unharmed, still standing and staring up and up and up at—

Maui gaped in shock.

“I thought I told you furry little pests never to come back here!”

Looming over them, clutching the limp body of Moana’s attacker and glaring sharply at the cluster of canines, was the _last_ creature Maui expected to come to their aid.

“Tamatoa?!”

The crab’s eyestalks swiveled sharply, turning to fix on Maui with wide eyes.“You?!”Then the eyes narrowed.“Figures.Trouble in my territory and _of course_ it’s _your_ fault.”

"My fault?!" Maui retorted automatically, glaring up at his former friend."How is this _my_ fault?!"

The crab rolled his eyes."It's _always_ your fault!Might as well have _that_ tattooed on your a--"

"Uh, guys," a voice interrupted."Maybe _now_ is not the best time for this."

Maui turned to look at Moana, who was backing slowly towards them.Tamatoa glanced her way, too.He squinted down at her and a slow spark of recognition dawned in his face."Hey, wait a minute--"

Moana's gaze, however, was locked on the snarling mass of fur and fangs that was stalking forward.The rest of the pack had regrouped and was advancing on them, rage simmering in their multifaceted eyes.

The lead dog fixed his burning gaze on Tamatoa."You'll pay for that, you overgrown ocean roach," he growled out, voice low and filled with fury.

Clearly there was a little resentment about their fallen comrade.

Tamatoa had still been peering down at Moana intently, as if trying to figure out what she was doing there, but at the insult his antennae jerked straight up and he turned to shoot the monster dog an affronted glare.It faded quickly, however, replaced by a smug, oily smirk which slowly oozed across his face.His eyes flicked to Maui and then Tamatoa _winked_.Oh, that didn't bode well.Maui knew that look.Whatever the crab was about to do, it _definitely_ wasn't going to calm the situation down.

Grinning a crooked, toothy grin and never breaking eye-contact with the pack leader, Tamatoa casually took a crunching bite out of their dead companion, still held in his claw, then flung the rest aside.

Uh oh, part three.

There came an enraged chorus of furious howls and the pack of dogs didn't hesitate, surging forward.Tamatoa was already bringing his claws up, clearly anticipating their reaction.

Maui hastily raised his hook and jumped in front of Moana again as the dogs raced towards them with renewed fervor.With their attention split now between Maui and Tamatoa—both formidable threats—there was at least a little more room to maneuver.

There was a narrow window of escape, too.“Moana, get to safety!Go!” he insisted.There was nothing she could do here, not without some sort of weapon to at least defend herself and now was her best shot at getting away.

For the briefest possible instant, Moana looked like she was going to protest—her expression stubborn and indignant.Then she nodded and darted away just as the first dog was upon Maui.

With a fast swing of his hook, he battered the attacker away and pivoted to face the next.After forcing that one back as well, Maui shot a furious glare across to Tamatoa, who was gleefully snapping at every dog he could reach.

“You just _had_ to do it, didn’t you?” he groused at his former friend, yelling over the snarls of the angry dogs.“Just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

Tamatoa flashed him a grin full of crooked teeth—brassy and completely unrepentant.

Maui let out an irritated grunt, driving another attacker back.If that egotistical bottom feeder’s interference resulted in Moana being hurt, he swore he was going to tie the crab’s antennae into a sheet bend—and that was just to start!

Where was Moana, anyway?Had she gotten clear of this chaos?Gaze skimming around quickly in the midst of beating back another near rabid dog, Maui spotted her.Oh.Of course she hadn’t.Exasperation washed over him.Why couldn’t she listen, just this once?

The lithe little mortal was nimbly climbing up one of Tamatoa's legs, clinging on like a burr even as the crab danced around his adversaries.Tamatoa didn't appear to have noticed her, too busy fending off another wave of attacking canines and trying unsuccessfully to catch the wily leader of the bunch.What was Moana _doing?_ When Maui told her to get to safety, that was _not_ what he meant!

He swatted away the snarling canine nearest to him, then glanced back up.Moana was on Tamatoa's back now, climbing over shifting piles of treasure.She caught Maui's look and gave him a jaunty wave, then reached down and pried something off the crab's shell.

A moment later she jumped up, holding something over her head to show Maui with triumph beaming from her face.It was an oar, gilded and gleaming in the watery light.

Well, it was better than nothing.Although, couldn't she have found a _spear_ or something at least a little more threatening?Surely there was one up there, that old hoarder had just about everything else imaginable stuck to his shell.He was just about to yell as much when he caught a flash of movement just past her, a flicker of grey fur and glowing markings pulling up onto the crab's back.

"Moana!" he shouted."Behind you!"

She turned just as the dog launched itself forward, but it wasn't aiming for her.Instead, it paid her no heed and angled towards the back of Tamatoa's neck, where no armor and only a few short spines protected him.Despite all those centuries of bad blood, Maui felt a flash of concern for his former friend.He opened his mouth to call out another warning, but Moana sprang into action first.She darted ahead, quick and agile as any bird in flight, to intercept the dog's path.Dropping low, she extended the oar in front of it.

The dog, moving fast, entirely focused on its target and apparently writing off one small mortal girl as no threat, was caught entirely unprepared.Paws fouled by the oar in its headlong charge, it tripped and tumbled end over end until it skidded across the crab's shell.The creature fell right over the edge with a yowling cry and a jingle of dislodged treasure.

Okay, maybe she could handle herself just fine with that oar.

Tamatoa drew up short, antennae sweeping stiffly up, taken by surprise at the dog unexpectedly crashing over his shoulder.He slowly turned his eyes around to look behind him, then the rest of his face followed.Maui couldn't see Tamatoa's expression from where he was standing, but he saw Moana smile at the crab and say something he didn't quite catch.Whatever was said, Tamatoa's eyestalks drew closer together for a brief moment, then Maui heard a rumble of laughter from the crab monster.

Maui narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

Then she said something else and Tamatoa quirked an eye.Without waiting for the crab’s answer, she reached down to grab something else off his back.Moving fast, she used her oar to vault to the edge of Tamatoa’s shell, then swung quickly down one of his legs to the ground.

In a flash, she stood beside Maui again.Plastered across her face was a wide, conspiratorial smile.“Keep them busy a minute,” she told him, then hurried away.

“Wait, what?” he blurted, baffled.She was already gone, though.“Moana!” he called after her, stepping in the direction she had taken.

He was quickly cut off as another frothing furball leapt into his path.With a frustrated expletive, he drove the persistent beast back.Frantically looking for Moana turned up nothing.She must have some sort of plan, he figured.He hoped so, anyway.

So she wanted him to keep these slobbering mongrels busy?Well, okay!

Maui grinned, turning back to the pack of dogs.“Hey, fleabags!Think you overgrown rats can catch a demigod?Come get me!” he challenged.With a flick of his hook and a joyous war cry, he changed shape.Dropping down to the ground as a lizard, he ran straight into the pack of dogs.The pain in his shoulder flared, but even so he was able to weave and dodge well enough through the forest of their furry legs.

Unable to resist what looked like an easy catch in such a little lizard, the dogs joined the chase.Heavy, toothy jaws snapped at him from all sides, but he kept one step ahead.Within moments he had much of the pack hot on his heels.Well, he'd certainly grabbed their attention.Now what?

He looked for Moana, but low to the ground and pursued by a pack of furious dogs, he couldn’t spot her.Wait.Where was Tamatoa?The giant crab was nowhere to be seen.Red edged into Maui's vision.That miserable _coward!_ How dare he stir these dogs up, put Moana in _more_ danger, and then _run away!_ When Maui got out of this mess, he was going to march right back to Tamatoa’s lair and—

Moana’s voice broke into his vengeful thoughts in a low, hasty call.“Maui!This way!”

Maui skidded to a halt, lizard tail thrashing to rebalance him as he turned sharply, reversed direction, and ducked back under the startled dogs.He couldn’t see Moana yet, but he hurried towards the sound of her voice just the same.The pack of dogs scrambled to mimic his abrupt turn, bumping and jostling each other in disorganized confusion.Once freed from their little traffic snarl, the dogs thundered after him again, quickly gaining ground.Maui darted towards where he had heard Moana, dashing between two swaying tentacle palm trees towards a shadowy break in the reef wall behind them.The dogs were nearly upon him and he could feel their foul breath on his tail.He sure hoped Moana’s plan was a good one.

Then suddenly Maui was snatched up from the ground.He barely had time to register what was happening, struggling in the grip of whatever had him and expecting to feel sharp teeth digging in at any moment.

The expected bite never came.

Maui heard an unexpected metallic clinking and twisted around to see what it was.

A glittering chain was suddenly yanked up out of the sand and pulled tight across the path between the trees.Moving far too quickly to stop, the first of the dogs tripped over it and went down.The rest tried to avoid it, but it quickly became a tumble of yelping, fumbling fur as they collided in a massive, unruly pile.

Maui blinked and turned again, now looking behind him to see Moana’s warmly smiling face.She had one arm around him and the other bracing the end of the golden trip line around a tree trunk.There was a certain soft pride in her eyes and Maui couldn’t help but grin.

Wriggling out of Moana’s arms, Maui dropped to the ground and shifted back to his human shape.He winced as the pain in his shoulder flared, then turned to look back at the writhing pile of dogs, still struggling to disentangle themselves.There was a flicker of movement behind them in the darkened channel between the rocks, then the shadows came alive with a brilliant burst of blue and pink lights—very familiar lights.

Tamatoa, bioluminescence aglow and eyes flashing dangerously, emerged out of the darkness.His glowing smile, overly wide and edged with hungry malice, could have frozen seawater on a hot summer day.Even Maui stared.Sometimes it was easy to forget just how intimidating the crab could be when he put his mind to it.

It was clearly too much for the pack of dogs.Just starting to get back to their feet, they took one look at the sinisterly glowing monstrosity looming over them and fled.En masse, they went howling in terror back down the path, tails tucked between their legs.Their yelping cries echoed through the coralline formations as they departed.Only their leader remained, shouting after them to return.“Get back here, you cowardly curs!Get back here and fi—”

There was a sharp clack of claws and the lead dog looked back in horror as Tamatoa reached for him.Scrambling to his feet, he only barely avoided being caught in the giant pincer, which snapped shut and came away with a tuft of fur from the dog’s tail.Alone and outmatched now, the lead dog lost his nerve.He turned tail and raced away after the others, shouting dire, but empty, threats back over his shoulder until he was out of sight.

Maui planted his hook in the ground and leaned his uninjured arm heavily on it.Well, that could have gone better, he thought ruefully.

“Yeeeeah!”

Moana’s sudden, joyous whoop made Maui jump and he lifted an eyebrow.He looked back at her fondly as she cheered their victory, but before he could say a word he caught a flash of movement behind her.

Maui was back into a fighting stance in the blink of an eye, hook in hand and glaring.“Don’t even think about it, crab cake!”

Moana spun to look up at the crab sidling up behind her, bioluminescence fading as he stepped out of the shadows.Face painted in a facade of deep affront, Tamatoa drew an offended claw up to his chest as if he hadn’t been reaching for Moana with that very same claw just moments before.

“Why Maui, I would never!” the crab said with a gasp, his affected tone an utter mockery of innocence.

“You would and we both know it,” Maui growled back, edging in front of Moana and ignoring the irritated look she threw him in response.

The crab grinned down at him, not bothering to deny it.Instead he waved a claw dismissively.“Is this your way of saying ‘thank you’ for saving your tattooed butt?Your thanking technique needs as much work as your fighting does.”

Aghast, Maui stared at his former friend.“Saving us?!You mean making things _worse!?_ ”He glared hotly up at the crustacean.“And my technique is _just fine_!” he added petulantly, just for good measure.

Tamatoa’s eyes gleamed, crinkling with amusement.“You had to be bailed out by a little human _again!_ ” he taunted, flicking an antenna towards Moana who had pushed her way out from behind Maui’s protective stance.

Tamatoa shifted his gaze to Moana now, watching her intently.“She’s smarter than you.”He grinned wide and flashed her a saucy wink.“Cuter, too.”

Maui felt his temper start to boil over.The crab never failed to find the right buttons to push.He pointed his hook at the aggravating monster, “Tamatoa, I swear—”

The crab’s claws were starting to come up and Maui tightened his grip on his hook and tensed in preparation to launch himself forward.Then he felt a light touch on his hand.He blinked, perplexed.

“Maui,” Moana admonished, gently pushing his hand and the hook held in it down.

“But Moana, he—” Maui started, exasperated.

She cut him off before he could even complete the thought.“He helped us, remember?” she prompted firmly.

“Yes, but—”

She gave him a fiercely stern, no-nonsense look that would likely serve her _very_ well as chief of her people.Maui shut up instantly.

Above them, Tamatoa was snickering.“Oh, I think I like her.”

Maui tore his eyes away from Moana and glared back up at the infuriating crab.His hand tightened on the handle of his hook again and he opened his mouth to tell the grinning fool off.He would have too, had there not been a sharp tug on his ear.

“Maui,” she said again, gentle but increasingly insistent, as he turned his attention back to her.“You’re hurt.We should go.”

“Oho, did the little mini-god hurt himself?” came Tamatoa’s croon from above.Something in his tone had shifted, however, and was a shade too malicious now for Maui’s comfort.

Maui looked back up at just in time to see a nasty, opportunistic smirk slide into place on the crab’s face.Uh oh, for the fourth time.

Yeah, okay.Maybe they should go.With his shoulder a mess and still winded from dealing with all those slobbering pests, it probably _wasn’t_ a good time to get into another serious fight with his former best friend.A former best friend who happened to be an immense crab monster.A former best friend who was starting to slowly saunter towards them with a wicked glint in his eyes.

Moana was tugging urgently on his good arm.

Yep, time to go.

“Well, thanks for all the help, but—oh hey, look at the shadows!It’s getting late!We really ought to be going now,” Moana was babbling hastily to Tamatoa.“Nice—uh—nice seeing you again!” she went on brightly, giving the crab a jaunty wave as she dragged Maui towards the trees.

Maui let himself be pulled along, keeping a wary eye on the crab behind them.Tamatoa stopped at the dense edge of the trees, watching them go with a smug smile.“Next time, stay for dinner!” the crab called after them, laughing as they fled.

***

Back at the canoe, Maui grumbled as he hauled in the bowline.So much for showing off for Moana and having a fine adventure.Instead, he’d let a bunch of rowdy mutts get the better of him _and_ ended up with a bite to the shoulder for his trouble.And all of that was _before_ having an unpleasant run in with his former friend, who had—okay, fine— _maybe_ saved them.Inadvertently, he was sure.Tamatoa would never have done it willingly, he thought sourly.Now he probably _owed_ the crab for all this.How embarrassing.

Oh, and let’s not forget that he nearly got Moana _killed_ on their ill-advised vacation.He yanked bitterly on the line, pulling it loose from the rocks and freeing the canoe.

Intruding into his brooding, Moana jumped down from where she’d been adjusting the rigging on the mast.Before he could blink, she had her arms wrapped around him in a tight hug.

A wide, beaming smile filled with exuberance greeted him.“That was the _best_ vacation!”

“Huh?But—?”

“The _best!_ ” she told him again, releasing him from the hug.

“I nearly got you killed down there!” Maui protested.“I couldn’t protect you.”He tried to keep the dejection out of his voice, but was pretty sure he failed.

Moana smiled at him again, patient and warm.“Maui, you don’t need to protect everyone all the time.I had it covered.”

Maui looked at her—really looked.She might be mortal, but she’d faced things beyond what any other mortal had.Confident, capable, and compassionate.He smiled.Yep, she had it covered.

“You know,” she went on, “you ought to try and patch things up with Tamatoa.He’s not so bad—well, when he’s not trying to eat you, anyway.”

Maui scowled.Moana might be able to calm a raging goddess and charm a murderous crab, but even she’d be hard pressed to fix that mess.

He shook his head, but she only grinned knowingly back at him.Maui had a feeling that he hadn't heard the last of this one.

Moana let it drop for now, though, taking up the steering oar and pulling the sail free.“So,” she said cheerily, setting their course for Motunui.“It’s official.Next vacation:Lalotai!”

Maui couldn’t help but grin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my marvelous beta, raptor-moon! You're the best! <3


End file.
